iV INTRODUCTION. 
To supply these particular necessities is the object of the 
present work ; and on this account no attempt has been made 
to travel beyond the limits indicated by giving descriptions 
of the species or dilating upon their haunts, habits, seasonal 
changes of plumage, migrations, or geographical distribution. 
These and many other details may be derived from the sources 
above mentioned, and will doubtless be worked out more 
fully and more satisfactorily than ever in the forthcoming 
new edition of Yarrell’s work, for which English naturalists 
are anxiously expectant. 
Under these circumstances it is hoped that this Handbook 
will be regarded not in any sense as intended to rival or sup- 
plant existing or forthcoming text-books on the subject, but 
to assist students in a manner and to an extent which has 
not been contemplated in the works referred to. The claims 
of species to rank as British, the proper scientific names 
which each should bear, the haditat of the rarer visitants, and 
the frequency or otherwise of their occurrence are points to 
which attention is almost exclusively directed in the following 
pages. To obtaim accurate and reliable details upon these 
poimts no labour has been spared, no source of information 
neglected; and although it is not pretended that no errors 
have escaped detection, yet it is believed that upon investiga- 
tion these will be found to be but few and comparatively un- 
important. Ina great measure this must be said to be due 
to the assistance which the author has derived from his friends 
and fellow workers in the field of ornithology during the 
time that the work has been in progress ; and on this account 
his thanks are especially due to Professor Newton, Mr. J. H. 
Gurney, Mr. J. H. Gurney, jun., Mr. Stevenson, and Mr. 
Robert Gray, all of whom have cooperated, at no inconsider- 
able expenditure of time and trouble, in replying to numerous 
inquiries, and furnishing important information. It is need- 
